William S. Hart had a habit of proposing to his leading ladies and Jane Novak was no exception. Part of her attraction may have been that she was more interested in appearing in wholesome family films than the more sensational roles on offer. That seemed to fit in with Hart's Victorian views on women but although she appeared with him in five films and was at one time engaged to him, a marriage never took place.
Jane Washburn (Novak) is convinced she murdered Billy Hamilton in a struggle with a gun. Her brother Donald (good old Robert McKimm) puts the story about that she was fighting for her honour and in her dazed state she believes him, but the reality is the men were fighting in a crooked game of cards. Billy found them out and the fight broke out. Buckskin Hamilton (Hart), Billy's brother, who is down at the docks to meet him on the paddle boat sees through the old "death before dishonour" gambit. The titles are beautiful - "velvet nights and purple - ", "the race against the sun with the toiling blistered wagons" - Hart's titles are often complicated and florid but here they are stripped away and only the beauty remains.
They have joined a wagon train and Buck's natural leadership qualities have him voted the wagon master. Observing Buck on the journey, cheerfully giving his water ration to his horse and dogs, Jane begins to realise what a "real man" is like and courageously tells the truth about his brother. The critics of the day thought the mood was a lot darker than the usual Hart and indicated that "manly" Americans would look down on the overdone dramatics. I think this is one of Hart's best combining the emotional acting - when he realises his brother has been killed and by a young, innocent girl, with a gripping tale of revenge.
"I'm leavin' tonight with two men - mebbe we'll come back, mebbe we won't"!! He takes the two men out into the desert determined to make them half crazed with thirst and heat so they will confess their crime. Meanwhile back at the wagon train there has been a fatal shooting of an Indian who was admiring a scarf. They demand a life for a life and Buck, now returned, gives the guilty man the choice between death at his own hands or fronting up to the Indian party.
One of Hart's best.
Jane Washburn (Novak) is convinced she murdered Billy Hamilton in a struggle with a gun. Her brother Donald (good old Robert McKimm) puts the story about that she was fighting for her honour and in her dazed state she believes him, but the reality is the men were fighting in a crooked game of cards. Billy found them out and the fight broke out. Buckskin Hamilton (Hart), Billy's brother, who is down at the docks to meet him on the paddle boat sees through the old "death before dishonour" gambit. The titles are beautiful - "velvet nights and purple - ", "the race against the sun with the toiling blistered wagons" - Hart's titles are often complicated and florid but here they are stripped away and only the beauty remains.
They have joined a wagon train and Buck's natural leadership qualities have him voted the wagon master. Observing Buck on the journey, cheerfully giving his water ration to his horse and dogs, Jane begins to realise what a "real man" is like and courageously tells the truth about his brother. The critics of the day thought the mood was a lot darker than the usual Hart and indicated that "manly" Americans would look down on the overdone dramatics. I think this is one of Hart's best combining the emotional acting - when he realises his brother has been killed and by a young, innocent girl, with a gripping tale of revenge.
"I'm leavin' tonight with two men - mebbe we'll come back, mebbe we won't"!! He takes the two men out into the desert determined to make them half crazed with thirst and heat so they will confess their crime. Meanwhile back at the wagon train there has been a fatal shooting of an Indian who was admiring a scarf. They demand a life for a life and Buck, now returned, gives the guilty man the choice between death at his own hands or fronting up to the Indian party.
One of Hart's best.